Sammer Postpones Visit
Matthias Sammer (58) had been looking forward to a visit in Leipzig to attend the 9th Summer Reception of the Saxon Football Association (SFV). On his way from Munich, he was caught in a traffic jam on the A9 in Burgenlandkreis. The road remained blocked for hours, so the travel company decided to redirect the journey and postpone the appointment to a later date. The 1996 European champion could therefore not attend the reception.
Event in Focus
The Summer Reception is an annual gathering where the SFV celebrates the development of football in Saxony. This year, around 25,000 football volunteers from Saxony were invited. A total of 400 guests attended the event at the Sports School Egidius Braun. Among the guests were well-known personalities such as Aki Watzke, Rudi Völler, and Marco Rose. SFV boss Hermann Winkler (63) had been waiting for Sammer for five years and had invited him as a star guest.
RB Leipzig in Focus
RB Leipzig was also represented among the 400 guests. Onstage, Jürgen Eißmann (43, Euro-2029 organizer), Richard Hempel (28, from Großnaundorf bei Bautzen - the first Saxon referee in the Bundesliga in 32 years), Tatjana Haenni, Johann Plenge, and Ulrich Wolter from RB Leipzig participated in a panel discussion. Haenni, who has been RB-CEO since January 1, emphasized in her speech: "I especially appreciate the warmth of Saxony, which has made it easier for me as a newcomer to Leipzig." She also highlighted that Euro 2029 is a great opportunity for women’s and girls’ football.
The event once again demonstrated how closely football in Saxony is connected with local clubs. Despite the unexpected travel disruption, the reception was a complete success, and the conversations among the guests helped shape the future of football in the region.
